2 SF RARVOE CRITDCES AND OTE GREAT REATM QE RE AMARES Bay “= sf Ay» NICK KYME AND GAY THORPEPS eM my To cal| Peet eet aE Tame World. They have endured much in a ora nme Ta SCS CORE ious eyes do greenskins, rat-men PORE eO ears MU sunny COM COCR CeCe FNS Treas CoC a CNET Cte eae Ce rrr Semcon et Coe Rm ete Cera Ske ee noe every fell deed ever inflicted upon hold and kin. Legendary is the treachery of Eiirore hese er errr ers Tatas PRR ee cca Le t-conen are Tra Me Ronn REC RC) ogo SAC eam Ore Cr haa Never forget! aN A DS aes Cm ro moan] the lost books of Cre eel Eight Peaks. Weep at the sacking of the mighty hold by the goblin warlord, Snarsnik, rejoice at the efforts of eta Ghres an ae et ec Ben re nr tray ete me Cod Creme mn trem as etrtg Azul, and the lament of Kazador. The ener Se Co SS Le tece SS 9 Par Se eee R nT eters Bi Cer lo Rat crete A BLACK LIBRARY PRODUCT UK als° | | Us $2999 soszt CAN $4100 i at 8184:— GSrudgelore A history of grudges and the great realm of the dwarfsINTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR Chapter One THE GREENSKIN GRUDGE put one “The Avcitic f Clg ~ Grob i the Upper Mal f the Third Deep ~ The Creeks of Bick Cg ~ Amek on Kirk Av The Shamisg of Kari ~ Garing Roget (Cramstis persons 3) ~ Kauadors Decree ng Kaede (nut peeks) = Deut Womeaflk = The Rewnd af Karador = Amomy of Hold = Worth 2 Misc Det Pastimes ~ Langheds (ihe veteran rothrhonds i) = Guide Bete sed Best, Chapter Fevo THE DRAGON GRUDGE The Range of Mord ~ Dts snd Dragons Rehan an the Reckoner’ Log ~ Keoaifs Lines! ~ Calapaeat Gaspie ~ Besmirchneat of the Srengela Cla — Revibtion or Gronpite Woah: (he veteran i) ~ Gala = Galaity 2 he Cae of Morin © Blt of Kar ~ Kerik makes is Out ~ Coueil f Hee ~ The Sop of Karik Kiang (sp 6) = The Siyer Colt Usgin loli (dramas prom i) = Kings ad With Chapter Three THE ELF GRUDGE The Wi of the Eher nd Dou ~The Wa of Vengce "The Those of Powe ©The Mach o Ter Aen The int Sage of Tor Ake gr ~The Longest 3 NeteeeRnToBBedee 8 SEY RESP NRO eee Contents Chapter Four THE UNDEAD GRUDGE ‘The Depravities of Koorad ~ Desigs with the Unded = The Wass of the Vaipie Coons = The Rise ofthe Blood Covet Hunger Wood Runes. Run: Magic sd Renamiths Provisioning the Thong ‘The Paces of the Ancstor Gods Ancor Wontip Ancor Badges Chapter Five THE RAT-KIN GRUDGE The Fill of Kua ight Peaks Dots ad the "Rati Rakin Warns ae icone in the Filth Deep ~ Kang Zilia Mines Destoyed ~ The Ciel of Eight Pek ie Lost Hammers (the wetene bothethoode i) Vaskuod Avcged ~ ight Paks i Toon Ander - Troe The Demise of Eight Paks (map 3) THE GREENSKIN GRUDGE part two The Inpudeace of Sark Dita Greskie Bale tthe Cit ~ The Wi ito the Lower Dep i Sat ~ Belews Page ito the Dees by Ortsiders ‘he Cindel i Reseed Beeps Misi Bande of the Js Diep’ Route (ap i) Dovey races the Eat Coe = The Rear of Deter Hanaertiot = Bate of the Fast Ce (map i) Bleak (igus mee) = Eight Pe is Reifrced Exinct (oo The il of #8 Soother Hk = The Underany is Reape Ambush t Deth Ps APPENDIX Dre Bae Tics ~ Ager othe Deas hua ~ Laue of te Desc “The Roig Sept Kishan Kink ~ Bone Stare + Cong Sigil + Una Elemente Magic Roos © Rae of Rane Ftpng ~The Deut Rel (nip ) | Khalid Lexicon = Kirk Aral - A Clas Reinet Thoeseune @ 70 a a n oT 8 Ereencneeseyyaey & eeSecarseceIntroduction wartfen lore and law have been both 2 passion and an in- !) dulgence of mine for most of my life. From my earliest years 1 have been fascinated by these folk. the clos- est of ovr-allies, ever since a dwarf by the same of Grondik Knarksop) befriended me whilst 1 B= are a race apart. It is through good nature and conduct attended Blickthorn College in Nuln. Though he is reticent by nature, the little I gleaned from my con- versations with this doughty librarian was enough to set a fire in my mind that has smouldered for many years, Long I have yearned to study better the ways of these people, and by chance, or perhaps the guid- ing hand of Verena, | have heen able to do so these past twelve years. This fire consumed me for that Jong time and I hope that the reader shares with me the excitement of discovery and scholarly pursuit that this tome represents Ik was an auspicious moment when a group of ad- venturous souls entered my shop of books and scribewares. They proffered to me an ancient dwarf tome, much scarred, which they claimed fo have re covered from an ancient dwarf hall beneath the Worlds Edge Mountains. I examined the book and was de- lighted to authenticate their claim, for I held one of the books of grudges of the ancient dwarf hold of Karak Eight Peaks. It cost my entire savings to pro- cure it from these mercenaries, for they had some inkling of its rarity and value and were hard bargain es, but it was worth every crown and shilling By examining the book's contents, I have been able to study the dwarf mind, the culture of their civilisation and the history of their empire as never before. For these last dozen years I have spoken to many col- Jeagues, both human and dwarf, and the volume you now hold is the result Te understand the nature of the grudge is to be given rare insight into the dwarfish mind. On casual contact, one might mistake the dwarfs as capricious, yet not altogether unlike ourselves. However, as I reveal in this book, the dwarf mind and the human mind are as truly vnalike as that of men and elves or even foul orcs. One must also come to appreciate how much of our own custom and tradition has been inspired and influenced by the traditions of the dwar, and how little our own culture has impacted upon them, Though some dwell in our towns and cities, and for many of us urban folk the sight of dwarfs is not uncommon, we must forever be of mind that they“on our part that the dwarfs choose us a8 allies, but ‘there are lessons to be learnt from the information have gathered hercin. Let it not be forgotten ~ never ‘wrong a dwar! ‘A grudge is, at face value, a simple thing Tt is a record of a misdeed done to a dwarf, or the race of dwarfs, so that the wrong might not be forgotten. In. this regard, it is not so dissimilar to the vendettas common in Tiles, or the concept of revenge with which we are all familiar. Yet a grudge is something much more than a simple call for vengeance. It forms a major part of dwarf law: it is an account of a dwarf's honour; it is a ledger of oaths and fealty. The dili- gence with which a dwarf trader totals his invoice is as nothing compared to the detail and gravitas placed upon the scribing of a grudge. Grudges are contracts and history. Before the scribing of 2 grudge, the grudges of ancient times are consulted, the old records Brought forth to see what the wisdom of the ances- tors can teach the kings of today. Through precedent and judgement, the weight of debt is measured, so ‘that the deeds of alli dwarfs, and their allies and en~ emies, can be properly reckoned. ‘A great part of dwarf socicty and endeavour is solely geared towards the recording and avenging of grudges, giving rise to the learned grudgemasters and Joremas- ters, and the creation of the sinister reckoners. All dwarfs record their grudges, but it is the greatest of grudges that concern us here. Armed with the infor- ‘mation in the volume I have in my possession, 1 am able to examine the grudges of kings Erch king maintains a book of grudges, recorded in blood - several volumes, in fact. Some grudges are of 4 personal nature, some relate to his clan and his hold. Largest and most sacred of these is the Dammaz Kron, currently held by Thorgri Grodgebearer, the High King of the dwarfs and Jord of Karaz-a-Karak Tn the Dammaz Kron are recorded all of the grudges cof dwarfkind Twice in every century the Day of Grudgement is held. All of the dwarf kings travel to Karaz-1-Karak and relate their new grudges together with grudges that have been settled, so that the Dammaz Kron can be kept accurately. Io these dark times, this ‘Day’ of Grudgement now lasts for several weeks, When the dwarf empire is called to war. the Dammaz Kron is brought forth, From his Throne of Power, 2 gilded, runc-ctched chair borne aloft by four sturdy dwarf warriors, Thorgrim leads his army, read~ ing out aloud those grudges perpetrated by the enemy and not yet atoned for, Such is the power of the Dammaz Kron, it is said to drive the dwarfs into 2 ag madacss as thet fill with the insults aa, aS Dwarf grudges can take many literary forms are very formal, dictated by a grudgemaster for king to inscribe properly. Others are simple histories, ‘while some ate elaborate tales. Some of the greatest and most popular dwarl sagas were first recorded as grudges, and some entries in this volume have 2 par- ticularly poctic quality. The preferences of the king, the importance of the grudge and historical styles have all influenced different types of wording over the many centuries since the first grudge was recorded. Once written, a grudge can neither be erased nor struck through uotil it has been settled. This might ‘occur through the death of the perpetrator, material recompense, apology or punishment. Over centuries the grudges recorded by the king's predecessors and his peers form the basis of dwarfcn law, so that the debt of a grudge in distant times and places forms the basis of judgement for the reckoning of grudges. The grudgemasters research long and hard for guidance to give their king, providing him with recommendations of suitable recompense taken from other grudges. Likewise, in matters of grudges against fellow dwarfs, a dwarf against whom a grudge is pending will em- ploy his own grudgemaster to present other previous grudges that are similar in nature, with the aim of garnering leniency. While a grudge still stands it is a burden to be carried by the king, am unavenged wrong that the dwarfs believe will weigh him down and be used in judgement against him come the time of his passing into the Halls of the Ancestors. Even those that have been settled, of which there are pitifully few in com= parison to the many thousands recorded, are still held in permanent record should the need arise to refer to them. Grudges cam also be recorded against a person after their death, In this regard, the descendants of the recorded transgressor are liable for making amends. A dwarf so grudged aguinst will carry his grudges in the Hills of the Ancestors until suitable reparation is made, and will be so weighed down by the grudge that he will not be able to sit at Grungni’s table. Thus, the grudges are also one of the greatest his- tories of the dwarfen people, and through their study distant times and strange lands are laid before us. So, join me now, as we delve into tales of honour and de- ceit, of war and betrayal, of craftsmanship and beer Hee hee Def Heinrich Altendorfer, 2519 5